The state police department has decided to conduct a fresh audit of medical reimbursement bills submitted by the network of hospitals empanelled under the Arogya Bhagya Yojane (ABY). The decision for a total audit follows the discovery of alleged fake bills submitted by the city’s K R Hospital recently.

“We found that the K R Hospital cheated the Karnataka Police Health Welfare Trust of Rs 74 lakh by submitting fake bills for treatment of a policeman for blood cancer. So we have decided to conduct a fresh audit for at least the past three years,” said Inspector General of Police (grievance and human rights wing) Alok Kumar, who is also the secretary for ABY, Karnataka Police Health Welfare Trust.

He said he was not aware if other network hospitals had also claimed reimbursements with fake bills under the provision of ABY.

The Karnataka government introduced ABY in 2002 for welfare of police personnel. It is a self-financing scheme managed through monthly contribution from the police personnel.

There are 83 private hospitals, including 34 hospitals from Bangalore city, identified as network hospitals.

The network hospitals provide cashless treatment to authorised police personnel and have to forward claim documents to the trust for reimbursements. However, the managing director and administrative officers of the K R Hospital allegedly submitted fake bills to the trust. A case was registered in the Hanumantha Nagar police station recently and the K R Hospital medical director Dr Harip-rasad and administrative officer Mahesh were arrested.

Police said Bettegowda, an assistant sub-inspector attached to the Girinagar police station, who was suffering from blood cancer, was treated at the hospital. The hospital later claimed Rs 74,47,823 as expenditure for the treatment.